Down the Wire

By Brian Senior

After two of the three qualifying sessions of the Mixed Pairs, Bob Hamman and Pamela Granovetter were lying in 156th position, with 182 to qualify, meaning that there was still work to be done.

Board 1. Dealer North. None Vul.
	♠ Q 8 7 3 ♥ A K 10 6 ♦ 7 2 ♣ J 8 4
♠ K 10 9 2 ♥ Q 7 5 3 2 ♦ K 6 3 ♣ 3		♠ J 6 ♥ J 9 8 4 ♦ Q 5 4 ♣ A K 9 2
	♠ A 5 4 ♥ – ♦ A J 10 9 8 ♣ Q 10 7 6 5

West	North	East	South
Zeljko	Hamman	Muller	Granovetter
	Pass	Pass	2♦
All Pass

Pamela’s weak 2♦ opening shut everyone out and she played there on a heart lead from Croatia’s Mario Zeljko. Granovetter took the heart winners, pitching spades from hand, then led a diamond to the jack and king. Zeljko switched to his singleton club now but Renata Muller, who could see that this had to be declarer’s long side-suit, judged that it would be better to play a forcing game. She won the king then played a heart, which Granovetter won. She played a low club, which Zeljko ruffed. Declarer was forced with another heart. She ruffed, cashed the ace of trumps and played the ♣Q to the ace. Muller could win and cash the queen of trumps, but then had only spades to play so Granovetter had the last three tricks for +90.

Board 2. Dealer East. N/S Vul.
	♠ Q 8 4 ♥ K 9 6 5 3 2 ♦ 10 6 2 ♣ J
♠ K 9 7 6 ♥ Q ♦ A 8 ♣ Q 7 6 5 4 2		♠ A 3 ♥ A 10 ♦ K Q 7 5 3 ♣ K 10 9 3
	♠ J 10 5 2 ♥ J 8 7 4 ♦ J 9 4 ♣ A 8

West	North	East	South
Zeljko	Hamman	Muller	Granovetter
		1NT	Pass
2♣	Pass	2♦	Pass
3NT	All Pass

Six Clubs is a very good contract but Muller opened a 15-17 no trump and was raised to game via Stayman – no doubt a popular auction. A heart lead would have given the defence a chance to defeat the contract, but Granovetter’s spades were better than her hearts, and she duly led a spade. Muller won in hand and played the king of clubs to the ace. Granovetter switched to a heart but it was too late; +490.

Board 3. Dealer South. E/W Vul.
	♠ K 10 9 3 ♥ 10 8 5 2 ♦ 3 ♣ A 10 7 3
♠ 4 ♥ K 9 7 3 ♦ A Q 7 6 ♣ Q 9 6 2		♠ A Q J 8 6 2 ♥ 4 ♦ K 8 4 2 ♣ K J
	♠ 7 5 ♥ A Q J 6 ♦ J 10 9 5 ♣ 8 5 4

West	North	East	South
B. Pollack	Hamman	R. Pollack	Granovetter
			Pass
Pass	Pass	1♠	Pass
1NT	Pass	2♠	Pass
2NT	Pass	3NT	All Pass

Hamman led a low club to dummy’s jack and Bill Pollack gave it a lot of thought before leading the queen of spades off the table – not that it appears to matter what declarer does. Hamman won the king, cashed the ace of clubs and switched to a heart. Granovetter won the ace and returned the queen to declarer’s king. Pollack played the ace of diamonds followed by a diamond to the king, then took the top spades, came back to hand with the ♦Q and cashed the ♣Q; one down for –100.

Board 4. Dealer West. All Vul.
	♠ A 10 ♥ K 5 4 ♦ A K 9 6 3 ♣ Q J 5
♠ 8 6 5 ♥ J 10 7 6 ♦ 10 4 ♣ A 7 3 2		♠ Q 4 3 2 ♥ A 9 2 ♦ Q J 5 2 ♣ 9 6
	♠ K J 9 7 ♥ Q 8 3 ♦ 8 7 ♣ K 10 8 4

West	North	East	South
B. Pollack	Hamman	R. Pollack	Granovetter
Pass	1NT	Pass	2♣
Pass	2♦	Pass	3NT
All Pass

Rosanne Pollack led the five of diamonds to the ten and king and Hamman led the queen of clubs. Bill Pollack won immediately to return his remaining diamond, on which Hamman played the nine in an attempt to make it appear that he was short in the suit. Rosanne won but did not fall for the falsecard – she could see that the three was missing, so declarer could not hold only ♦AK9. She returned a club, which Hamman won in hand to play a heart to the queen. When that scored he cashed the club winners, pitching a diamond from hand. The fourth club caused Rosanne a problem. Having thrown a spade on the third club, she now bared the ace of hearts and, after a little thought, Hamman played her to have done so, ducking a heart. Hamman won the spade return in hand and cashed his red winners. Rosanne was squeezed again by the ♥K, so when Hamman played a spade at trick twelve the queen showed up; ten tricks for +630.

Board 5. Dealer North. N/S Vul.
	♠ A J 10 6 2 ♥ K 8 4 3 ♦ 10 2 ♣ K Q
♠ K 7 5 ♥ Q J 9 6 ♦ A J 6 4 ♣ 10 8		♠ 9 3 ♥ 7 2 ♦ K 9 5 3 ♣ 7 6 5 4 2
	♠ Q 8 4 ♥ A 10 5 ♦ Q 8 7 ♣ A J 9 3

West	North	East	South
Ferguson	Hamman	Berg	Granovetter
	1♠	Pass	2♣
Pass	2♥	Pass	4♠
All Pass

A straightforward auction saw Hamman declare a normal game on the lead of a low diamond to the jack. Bruce Ferguson continued with two more rounds of diamonds, Hamman ruffing the third round. With the favourable positions in the black suits, it is possible to make an overtrick by crossing to the ace of hearts to lead the ♠Q, picking up that suit and later dropping the ♣10. However, that needs a fair bit, so Hamman instead played the jack of spades to Ferguson’s king. He won the spade return in dummy, drew trumps and unblocked the clubs before crossing to the ace of hearts to cash the clubs; ten tricks for +620.

Board 6. Dealer East. E/W Vul.
	♠ 10 7 5 4 3 ♥ 3 ♦ K Q 6 ♣ J 8 3 2
♠ Q 6 ♥ A 8 4 ♦ A J 9 8 ♣ A K 10 6		♠ A J 2 ♥ Q J 9 7 2 ♦ 7 4 ♣ 9 7 5
	♠ K 9 8 ♥ K 10 6 5 ♦ 10 5 3 2 ♣ Q 4

West	North	East	South
Ferguson	Hamman	Berg	Granovetter
		Pass	Pass
1NT	Pass	2♦	Pass
3♥	Pass	4♥	All Pass

With a total maximum for his 1NT opening, Ferguson was willing to break the transfer when holding only three-card support, Hamman led the king of diamonds and the winning play would have been to win and later lead to the ♦9, establishing a discard for dummy’s third club. However, with chances in the other suits, Ferguson preferred to duck, hoping for a continuation or favourable switch. But Hamman actually switched to a club to the queen and ace. Ferguson ran the queen of spades to the king and won the club return with his king. He crossed to dummy with a spade and led the ♥Q, ducked, then the ♥J, covered and won with the ace. Declarer gave up a heart, won the diamond return, and had to concede a club at the end for down one; -100.

Board 7. Dealer South. All Vul.
	♠ K 10 9 4 ♥ K 7 ♦ J 8 5 ♣ A Q 6 3
♠ Q 6 3 2 ♥ J 5 4 3 2 ♦ A Q 4 ♣ 8		♠ J ♥ Q 9 8 ♦ K 10 9 7 6 3 ♣ 10 5 4
	♠ A 8 7 5 ♥ A 10 6 ♦ 2 ♣ K J 9 7 2

West	North	East	South
Bertens	Hamman	Van Zwol	Granovetter
			1♣
Pass	1♠	Pass	2♠
Pass	3NT	Pass	4♠
All Pass

Having found the spade fit, Hamman suggested 3NT as an alternative game, but Granovetter quickly went back to the spade game because of her diamond shortage. Wietske Van Zwol led the jack of spades. Jack from queen-jack doubleton is an old idea and Hamman chose to play her for having led from the two honours because the auction strongly indicated a trump lead. Accordingly, he won in hand and returned a trump. Ducking to the queen when Van Zwol showed out. Huub Bertens returned a third trump, after which Hamman ruffed a heart in hand, crossed to dummy with a club and drew the last trump, conceding a diamond at the end; +650. Of course, if declarer plays to ruff a diamond in dummy rather than a heart in hand it is possible to make twelve tricks by picking the trumps successfully.

Board 8. Dealer West. None Vul.
	♠ K 10 ♥ 10 9 7 5 3 ♦ A 9 7 5 ♣ 10 7
♠ Q 8 6 5 ♥ A Q J 6 ♦ 8 4 ♣ J 6 4		♠ J 7 4 2 ♥ K 4 2 ♦ 6 3 ♣ A Q 5 3
	♠ A 9 3 ♥ 8 ♦ K Q J 10 2 ♣ K 9 8 2

West	North	East	South
Bertens	Hamman	Van Zwol	Granovetter
Pass	Pass	Pass	1♦
Dble	1♥	2♠	Pass
Pass	3♦	All Pass

The first competitive auction of the session saw Granovetter declare 3♦, a comfortable spot. She won the spade lead in hand, crossed to the ♠K and led the ten of clubs. When Van Zwol played low, she decided to play for either queen or jack onside so passed it to the jack. Bertens returned a club to the ace and Van Zwol switched to a trump, which was won with the five in dummy – that sort of trick costs a round of drinks in some places. Van Zwol gave up a heart and had ten tricks for +130.

Board 9. Dealer North. E/W Vul.
	♠ A 3 2 ♥ A Q J 7 ♦ A Q 8 4 ♣ 10 6
♠ 10 5 ♥ 10 8 3 ♦ J 10 6 2 ♣ K J 9 7		♠ Q 9 8 7 ♥ 4 2 ♦ K 9 7 5 3 ♣ Q 4
	♠ K J 6 4 ♥ K 9 6 5 ♦ – ♣ A 8 5 3 2

West	North	East	South
Bartley	Hamman	Kuzselka	Granovetter
	1NT	Pass	2♣
Pass	2♥	Pass	4♦
Pass	4NT	Pass	5NT
Pass	6♥	All Pass

Facing a 15-17 no trump, Granovetter used Stayman and, on finding a heart fit, splintered. Hamman took control, checking on key cards, and the response showed two plus a diamond void. Germany’s Beatrix Kuzselka led a trump to the eight and queen and Hamman ruffed a diamond then ducked a club. Gareth Bartlet went in with the king to return a second trump and Hamman went up with the jack as he needed the entry to hand for a second diamond ruff. Ace and another club discovered the bad news in that suit. Hamman ruffed and cashed the ace of trumps, throwing a club from dummy.

All he had to do now was to cash the ace of diamonds then play ace of spades followed by a spade to the jack because, of course, Kuzselka had been squeezed out of her fourth spade by the last trump. But Hamman had what is known as a Senior moment (I have been having them all my life, of course). He saw that if the ♠Q was onside he didn’t need to take the finesse because he could endplay East with it, so went for the extra chance of dropping queen-doubleton offside!? Hamman played a spade to the king, back to the ace and a third round. Kuzselka won and had to lead into the diamond tenace at the end. Hamman claimed twelve tricks and scored it as such, only to be reminded that he had conceded a club trick earlier on in the play. I hope Bob will forgive me for including this deal, but I promise him that this story will make a lot of readers very happy, as they will be pleased to see that even the very best can fall from grace at times.

Board 10. Dealer East. All Vul.
	♠ K Q 8 6 ♥ Q 10 7 6 3 ♦ Q 4 ♣ A K
♠ 3 2 ♥ J 9 5 ♦ 8 7 6 ♣ J 8 6 5 3		♠ J 10 9 4 ♥ 8 4 ♦ A K 10 9 ♣ 10 9 4
	♠ A 7 5 ♥ A K 2 ♦ J 5 3 2 ♣ Q 7 2

West	North	East	South
Bartley	Hamman	Kuzselka	Granovetter
		Pass	1♦
Pass	1♥	Pass	1NT
Pass	3NT	All Pass

After a club lead, this was a dull deal. Granovetter took the hearts, unblocked the club and played ♠K, a spade to the ace and cashed the ♣Q. That squeezed Kuzselka out of a top diamond, but there were no communications by now, of course; eleven tricks for +660. Anyone who found the five-three heart fit would expect to score very poorly, I would think.

Board 11. Dealer South. None Vul.
	♠ 3 ♥ Q 8 5 2 ♦ Q 8 ♣ A K Q J 10 6
♠ A 10 8 7 5 2 ♥ K 10 9 6 ♦ A ♣ 4 3		♠ K Q J ♥ 4 ♦ K 7 6 3 2 ♣ 8 7 5 2
	♠ 9 6 4 ♥ A J 7 3 ♦ J 10 9 5 4 ♣ 9

West	North	East	South
Pszczola	Hamman	Feitelson	Granovetter
			Pass
1♠	2♣	3♣	Pass
4♠	All Pass

Hamman cashed two clubs then switched to his trump. Jacek Pzsczola won in dummy and led a heart, Granovetter winning her ace and playing a second trump. Pzsczola could win, unblock the diamond and ruff a heart then pitch the other loser on the king of diamonds; +420.@1st line of hand:Board 12. Dealer West. N/S Vul.

	♠ K 10 2 ♥ A K Q J 6 5 ♦ K J 9 5 ♣ –
♠ A 7 4 ♥ 8 4 2 ♦ Q 3 ♣ A K 10 7 6		♠ J 8 3 ♥ 10 9 7 ♦ A 10 6 4 ♣ 5 4 3
	♠ Q 9 6 5 ♥ 3 ♦ 8 7 2 ♣ Q J 9 8 2

West	North	East	South
Pszczola	Hamman	Feitelson	Granovetter
1♣	4♥	All Pass

Maybe a 4♥ overcall would not be everyone’s choice, as it gives up on possible contracts, including slam, in two other denominations. But matchpoints is not a game for slow descriptive auctions which tip off the defenders about declarer’s hand. Candice Feitelson led a club to the queen and king and Hamman ruffed then drew three rounds of trumps, throwing two clubs and a diamond from dummy. He continued with the king of spades then ten of spades, both ducked, and a third spade to the ace.

There was nothing Pzsczola could do. If he had tried the ace of clubs, Hamman would have ruffed and exited with the king of diamonds – he knew the ace was on his left because West had not opened a strong no trump – and would have lost just two diamond tricks. Seeing this, Pzsczola switched to the queen of diamonds, hoping that his partner’s holding would be slightly stronger. Hamman covered and Feitelson won the ace and played a club through. Hamman ruffed and led a low diamond towards dummy’s eight. Feitelson thought about that but eventually played low. The eight scored and the nine of spades took care of declarer’s ♦9; eleven tricks for +650. Midway through the session, it seemed that Bob and Pamela still had plenty to do to ensure qualification, and it would go down to the wire before they would know if they had done sufficient. They did just enough in the end, qualifying in 161st position, and would hope to do better in the final.